Korean woman fails driving test 959 times, passes the 960th, gets free car

[Eri]

We like to think of ourselves as pretty determined folk here the United States. After all, our forebearers forged our country out of a wild and unsettling terrain, fought off tyrants, cooked up some of the most amazing inventions of the last century and helped populate a symbol of diversity and freedom renowned the world over. That doesn't mean that we'd willingly subject ourselves to the DMV 960 times, however. Yet that's exactly what a Korean woman, Cha Sa-soon, did on her quest to obtain her driver's license. Despite copious studying, the 69-year-old Cha just couldn't manage to get past the written portion of the exam.

In April 2005, she began taking the 50-minute, 40-question test once a day, five days week, failing each time. Eventually her pace slowed to taking the test twice a week, but on the 960th try, she managed to get enough of the questions right to pass.

Local news outlets ran with the story, and it wasn't long before the tale caught the ear of Hyundai-Kia. The company asked people to post congratulatory messages online, and after an overwhelming response, Kia handed her the keys to a brand-new Soul.

We like her style.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/08/woman-gets-kia-soul-after-passing-drive-test-on-960th-try/

I'm not so sure the appropriate response was to actually give her a car...much less a license.

 

[Mechsoap]

yeah, i think its a way to get rid of the impossible people...

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Wow, just wow. The license is pushing it but giving her a free car? That is very stupid. Lets wait a few weeks and wait to hear about when she crashes the new car into a Walmart.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

I'm not sure where the cutoff should be exactly, but I'm going to say that no one who failed a driving test that many times should EVER be allowed to man a vehicle.

- J

 

[natster43]

Now that is determination. Good for her.

 

[spectrenihlus]

No this is a person you do not want driving a vehicle. They should have told her sorry no more chances after the 100th try.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

Wow, and I thought I felt bad after failing it ONCE.

 

[Tartarga]

Jeez, how frequently did she take the tests? Did she pretend it was a video game and try over and over again until she succeded? Still, I am impressed by her commitment.

 

[manythings]

Great lesson for kids "if at first you don't succeed, fail till they get sick of your stupid face and just give you a car so they can finally be rid of your retard ass".

EDIT: Just thinking is she actually literate? Or even mentally competant? I have doubts that kind of test changes so wildly and so often that you can't get it before the fiftieth time without some kind of issue beyond sucking at tests.

 

[kintaris]

Haha, good move Kia, can't wait to see that kick you in the ass. Lets hope the 960th time she finally 'got' driving, rather than just made a pretty good guess based on the few possibilities left in her broad spectrum of failure.

As for the woman - good on you for your tenacity, I suppose?? But if you're planning on coming to England, our public transport is excellent, so don't worry about renting yourself a car. Please.

 

[2fish]

I belive if you fail 3 times in a three month period you must wait 3 months before you can try again here. This would take her a lot longer she might have even quit.

Not sure I want her driving near me.

 

[Dogstile]

To anyone who thinks she shouldn't be driving. Do you not think after taking it 960 times it might've stuck finally?

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I suppose there's a different between her failing the written test and failing the pratical. The written test is largely pointless anyway in my opinion. Most of our parents would never have taken it, and yet they still seem to be fine as drivers, and I can't even remember most of the specific questions and answers, but I'm still a safe driver.

Also, it doesn't tell us the level of acclimitisation this woman has with the language. It refers to her as Korean, rather than 'Korean born' or 'originally Korean' which suggests that there may be a language barrier.

ANyway, good on her.

 

[Kevlar Eater]

I'm surprised no one made a Spongebob joke yet.

 

[Sneaky-Pie]

No one else finds this terrifying?

 

[Kittenmauler]

Wtf Koreans are supposed to fail the driving part and ace the written, she's doing it wrong.